Ten Days till Africa!

I'm happy to report that week 2 of my exercise regime went well. I only missed yoga on Monday because the gang left early and I just needed a little quiet time (pretty sad excuse). But I went to my three Zumba classes and still love it. The only bad part is that after class I pretty much drive home blind because apparently when I'm really tired, my double vision kicks into high gear. Once I'm home and cool it goes away, but I have the route memorized and it's only 10-15 minutes away, so what's the big deal? And when in doubt, I close one eye and I get oriented again.

Monday I met Kay for lunch in Sugar Land, which is 30 minutes from Katy (maybe that's why I talked myself out of yoga) and ran into one of my wine-drinking neighbors in the restaurant. How weird! Kay had just come back from two weeks in France where her son got married, so I loved hearing all about it.

Yesterday I went with a group from Heritage Grand to Krause House where we did line dancing with the girls. One of the women's granddaughter was there and she did current dancing, which the girls seemed to enjoy way more than our old lady line dancing. But it was good exercise regardless.

The Gang's All Here

Their visits are always short, but much appreciated. Joe and Mary Jane came in Friday afternoon and Rob got here Saturday morning. We went into Houston for lunch at Federal Grill with Kitty, Cathy and Mike, and Jim and Sharon. The rest of the clan was at the Astros game, but we managed to have fun without them. The food was great and the company was better. It's always so much fun to get together with Kitty and cousins whenever they're here. The gang is heading out in the morning, and although our visits are never long, I always love having them here.

Also very good news is that I found a new Zumba class at the Y and went three times this week! So I'm hoping that two days of yoga and three days of Zumba will be my summer routine. I really love the new class (thus far) and even though I'm not great at it, it's actually lots of fun.

It was a great week!

Loving Life!

I really enjoyed my first week with no commitments, but am starting to get bored, so I'll have to find a project or something next week. I also didn't make it to any exercise classes because they were cancelled on Memorial Day and Wednesday I met Kitty, Cathy, Trudy, Chris and Kristin for lunch. I'd picked a place halfway between Cathy and me because it was just supposed to be us, but as happens regularly in that family, if anyone gets wind of lunch, they join in. And it's always fun regardless of who shows up.

Fortunately I'm getting more steps in now because Simon is having balance problems (like mother, like dog) so can only go for a short walk in the mornings. So we all go around the block while he does his business and then I take him home. Glory and I then take a long walk like we used to and I'm actually getting some exercise. Simon has really slowed us down and he doesn't mind going home early, so it's working well. The vet is still trying to figure out the problem, but she thinks it's related to the diabetes. As long as he doesn't walk too far it doesn't seem to be a problem.

And now I'm off to have dinner with a neighbor. We've worked out a super barter deal. I did her taxes for her and now she's going to plant all my new flowers for me in return. I'm elated because I hate to garden and the landscapers can't get to it for a couple of weeks. You know how I love a win-win!

Summer Begins!

So sorry about yesterday, but it didn't feel like Sunday until it was too late. Manuel came out for dinner and stayed until my bedtime, so i just didn't want to stay up any longer. And for all of you who may be thinking there might be a relationship here, you're right... we're good friends and nothing more. And I'm perfectly happy with this arrangement. Sorry to burst any imaginary bubbles that may have formed, but he is and always will be just a very dear friend.

Last week I tutored Thomas for the last time and mentored the two brothers for what may or may not be the last time. Mentors are encouraged to continue on from year to year with their mentees, but I never really felt like I had connected with these two boys. I'd already decided to tell the counselor to ask them if they want me as their mentor next year or if they'd prefer someone new. So imagine my surprise when Sean, the 5th grader, told me on Wednesday that he hopes I will be his mentor again next year. It really made me happy. He'll be in junior high, but not far from here, so I guess I'll see him again in the fall. The 2nd grader is another matter, but we'll see how it goes.

Bottom line... I'm really looking forward to my first week with no obligations (except exercise classes). Let the games begin!

Blog Tomorrow

Sorry, check back tomorrow.

Let the games begin!

I just finished my last tutoring session with Alaeldin until the first of August and while I'll miss the extra money, a break will be good for both of us. I spend too much time trying to find things for him since he doesn't do schoolwork, but I look at it as time well spent. His dad told me today that their family is going to Sudan this summer because that's where he and his wife are from. They'll be gone a month and I'm flying back the same day they are... what a coincidence.

And tomorrow will be my last day tutoring Thomas, too, also until the first of Aug. I think I've finally convinced his parents that he needs to hit it again before school starts, but it remains to be seen if I really have. Regardless, I'm looking forward to my vacation from all my kids, too. I'll still be seeing Tristen at Krause House, of course, but all my school-related activities will be put on hold. Yee haw!

Until I was a teacher, I never knew that teachers are just as excited about summers as the kids are. And when I'd tell my students that, they were always surprised (so I had to tell them every year).

Ouch!

I got my typhoid and yellow fever vaccines this week and I'm not happy. First of all, they were very expensive and secondly, the yellow fever is still red, swollen, and hurts. Fortunately my nurse friend told me it's not uncommon. I had to go to a health clinic recommended by my GP's office and the guy was a serious weirdo.
This sign was one of five in the consultation room regarding cancellations, showing up late, etc. The vaccines were very expensive and he even charged me $25 just for writing the prescription for anti-malarial medication. What a ripoff! But the bottom line is... I'm ready to go. Still waiting on my passport (due to the bruised face photo), but I've been told if I haven't gotten it by the end of May, I can expedite the process, for a fee of course.

My take on all this is that this is my trip of a lifetime, so even though I may bitch about the little things, it just doesn't matter. I do feel I need to shelter in place between now and June 28th, just so I don't break a bone or get infected by someone, but since my worst accidents happen in my house, that's probably not necessary.

Busy Week

STAAR testing is this upcoming week, which is Texas' standardized test, so I did a lot of tutoring. I saw Thomas three times to review and I feel like he's as prepared as he could be. The only thing I couldn't get him to agree on is that he should work all the easy problems first and then go back to the others. His thinking is that he wants to get the hard ones over first, so his brain can rest on the easier ones. This is his first year of testing, so I didn't hammer too hard, but did try to explain that the test is timed and he doesn't want to run out of time before doing the ones he knows. We'll see...

I went to a birthday lunch with some old friends, a birthday dinner with 20 of my new friends, and hosted a Kentucky Derby party yesterday. Add in errands, walking the dogs, and exercise classes and it made for a pretty busy week. But because of the testing I won't be tutoring or mentoring this week, so feel like I'm on vacation. Looking forward to it!

I'm So Excited!

This has been the real first week of planning for the Africa trip this summer. First of all, my passport photo was rejected because, although I felt I looked really good, apparently my facial bruises were way too evident in the picture. The letter stated that "facial decorations are not allowed unless worn all the time." Seriously? Someone thought those were decorations? But not wanting to waste a moment, I raced to CVS, took another photo and mailed it in immediately.

And this next paragraph is dedicated to Brenda, my nephew's wife who from now on is officially my niece (by my declaration). She has worked so hard on this trip and certainly isn't through yet, but has impressed me immeasurably. We're going to meet up in Amsterdam and then fly together to Kilimanjaro (I had to check the map to ensure the airport wasn't near the Mount). At that point we'll be picked up by a tour for a four-day, three-night safari through the Serengeti. And just viewing the pictures of where we'll be staying makes my tummy flip every time I look at them. And they will take us directly to Bunda where Charles, Karen, and John live. Based on the work Brenda has done so far, I can safely say I never could have attempted this on my own. God bless her!

And now the only downside of my week... I tutored Alaeldin (pronounced Aladeen) yesterday and had a long conversation with his dad afterwards. I explained to him, again, that this is my first experience with autism and I just can't be sure that he's learning anything because he doesn't seem to remember anything from week to week. And then the dad asked, "Well, what should we do?" My heart literally hurt when he said it because the expression on his face was filled with despair. And at that moment I realized that he and his wife are as lost as I am. I do know that Alaeldin knows his multiplication tables through the fives, so by golly I can, at the very least, teach him the rest. We left it with he will talk to the teacher and maybe we will try 30 minute sessions two or three times a week during the summer.

Well, I seem to have be rambling, so will stop now and see you next week. Bye.

Home again, home again, jiggety jig

 I'm not gonna lie... this was our first stop after landing in Seattle (per my request). We bought some cookies and chocolate and although everyone did not participate, those who did were happier.

It was a 4-hour drive to our destination on Lake Chelan and it's been a long time since I was in such a beautiful place. I could have stayed for a month! There were 27 wineries in the area and we didn't even attempt to hit them all, but with the help of Yelp and Trip Advisor, I'm certain that we definitely got to all the best ones. Sipping on wine while viewing snow-capped mountains was my favorite part of the trip, especially on the sunny days. However one winery was so totally different that I couldn't help but love it. It was called Karma and was basically a cave built into the side of a mountain. I enjoyed a champagne flight of three different champagnes and they were all full-sized. I definitely got my money's worth, but I was pretty worthless afterwards. It was just so cool!

This was a trip that one of my Katy friends got as a time share from a man in her Sunday school class. I really didn't want to go after New York and with Africa on the horizon, but it was just too cheap to pass up. And now I hope to go back some day in September when the grapevines and apple orchards are all ready for harvest. It's gonna happen!

And on the home front, I had a dog sitter staying at the house and was so surprised when I received a text one morning that Simon had killed a rat in the backyard. What??? My little strange bird, Simon? She said Glory wasn't even interested in it and I would have pegged Glory as the hunter. Apparently I was very wrong. Anyway, the best part of this story is that I wasn't there to deal with it. Hallelujah!
 

Washington Wineries

Tuesday I had an appointment to get my passport for Africa this summer and will laugh for many years (hopefully) because my face was still bruised. No amount of makeup hid it all and sadly, the photo is NOT attractive. But it's done and I'll just live with it for the next 10 years.

Friday, three friends and I flew to Seattle to begin a week's vacation in Washington's wine country. When we made these plans in the fall all four of us foolishly thought it would be spring here, but how wrong we were. We saw snow on our way here and many of the surrounding mountains are snow-capped. Regardless, it's still beautiful country.

Yesterday we went on a day trip, starting with tasting in a winery, followed by a couple of hours in a casino where I'm excited to report, I won $210! Then we stopped by the Grand Coulee Dam and toured their facilities. It was a long day, but very productive.

This morning we rested and then went to a big Easter brunch in Chelan, the nearby town. Afterwards we came back to the condo, took a long walk beside the lake, and then came back for games. Tomorrow we have another day trip and may hit a few more wineries. This is definitely my kind of vacation!

What a Difference a Week Makes (kinda)

Continuing where I left off... I spoke to a nurse in my doctor's office Monday morning and she told me to go to the ER immediately. So I did and they did a CAT scan and there was no bleeding in the brain. The doctor said I probably had a mild concussion and to expect a one to two week healing process (I'm now on day 10). She also said that the headaches were caused by the blood from my forehead draining down into my face... sooo attractive! So I felt better immediately and the headaches aren't nearly as bad now as they were, mainly just a nuisance. So by Wednesday I was feeling pretty good and needed to get out of the house, starting with the grocery store. Then Thursday I got a pedicure and a haircut. Even though I carefully put on special makeup, the blue still showed through on my face and everyone I saw asked what happened when I thought I looked great.

I looked even better yesterday and went to the clubhouse to play Trivia last night. Imagine my surprise when everyone I saw was actually shocked and one woman even told me I looked like a Smurf! So at this point I feel good, but look bad. And I just don't care anymore. Tomorrow I'll be back in my old routine and really looking forward to it. The only bad thing is I have to have a passport picture made on Tuesday, so that might end up being a real joke. And you know what? I don't care!

And She's Down Again!

It's not my pleasure to report that I fell once again due to my own stupidity. I take Trazadone to help me sleep and it's the best miracle drug I've ever found... not addictive and I sleep better than I ever have in my adult life. The bad news is that one is good but two are terrible. I accidentally took two on Tuesday night because I forgot I took the first one. I realized my mistake immediately, but just assumed I'd sleep even better than normal. But not so... I remember getting up to go to the bathroom and the next thing I'm aware of is waking up on the floor. I had hit my forehead and had a pretty bad headache, but made it back to bed and continued to sleep restlessly. When I got up the next morning I had quite a bump on my head. I didn't feel great but took the dogs out for a short walk, then stayed on the couch the rest of the day. When I was ready to walk the dogs in the evening I looked in the mirror for the first time since morning and had two huge shiners. Dammit!

The next morning the bruising and swelling had moved down my face to the bottom of my nose. And it's only gotten worse since then. Based on Dr. Google, I'm pretty sure I have a concussion, but everything I read stated that the only cure is rest.  I did call my doctor but couldn't get in until the 11th and figured I'd be fine by then so didn't make an appointment. In the days since I've realized that was a mistake because I continue to have headaches daily and am more tired each day. So tomorrow I'll call the doctor again, speak to a nurse, and try to get in sooner. So we'll see, but in the meantime, I'm happy on my couch thanks to Netflix, Amazon books, and wonderful friends who have been to the grocery store for me as well as stopping in to visit. I really think they just want to see how bad I look. Can't say as I blame 'em.

Garage Sale Week

In my neighborhood we can only have one community garage sale per year and it was yesterday. I spent the week sorting through junk and deciding what I could live without. I didn't sell everything I wanted to, but made $110 and got rid of a lot of stuff I don't need. Plus, we make it a party because five of us went together and we had Bloody Marys in the morning, which helped in lowering prices as the day progressed. It was work, but fun at the same time.

And because I was busy yesterday, I visited Tristan at Krause House this morning and tutored two kids this afternoon. I'm not sure I'm really helping Alaeldin because it seems that he really doesn't remember things from one week to the next. This might be a short-lived project, but I'm not ready to give up yet. Also I have to spend a lot of time preparing visual aids and searching for iPad apps to help him learn. We'll see how long I can continue.

But the best news of the week is that I saw the retina specialist on Friday and he's amazed that I've gone five years without needing another injection. He said it's possible that I may never need another one and I don't have to go back for six months! What this means for the long run is that it will take a longer time for my vision to deteriorate. My ultimate goal is to be able to renew my drivers license in 2020. Never hurts to dream!

Spring Break

Some things never change. Just as I did when I was teaching, I ignored my list of things I needed to do and enjoyed some time off from mentoring and tutoring. So I still need to do my taxes, get a passport for Africa, and do some work in the yard. What's wrong with me?

However, I did relish in my down time. On Tuesday the Winettes celebrated the birthday of one of our members... tiara and all. Then Manuel came over for dinner one night and we charcoaled steaks. Okay, actually he did it. I bought a charcoal grill two years ago and only used it once because I'm so used to just going outside, turning on the gas, and grilling. This is way too much work.

Yesterday I went to Krause House where we line danced with four groups of girls for 30 minutes each... I was exhausted when we were done, but the girls really had fun. It was our most successful activity so far.

Today I visited with Tristan and tutored Alaeldin, the autistic boy. Mid-lesson he asked, "Is it okay to laugh at someone if they're laughing, too?" I said it was and then he asked, "But if they're suffering, it's not okay, right?" These things must be so hard for someone with autism. So I never try to get him back on task until I've answered all his questions. I guess he needs all the reinforcement he can get. He's a sweet boy!

And the party continues...

So often I feel guilty about all the fun I'm having... it almost feels hedonistic. Oh sure, I volunteer at the school two days a week, mentor at Krause House, and tutor three days a week, but let's face it, that's only six hours out of the entire week. A drop in the bucket. The rest of my time is spent walking the dogs, attending yoga and cardio classes, and entertaining myself at home. It's a great life, but surely you can understand my guilt. But I'm not complaining because I love my life, probably more now than at any other time and I feel so very blessed.

Tuesday we went to the horse races, which is always a fun day. Eating, drinking, and gambling is a great way to spend an afternoon with friends and I only lost $4. I call that a good day at the track. Friday I had a colonoscopy and except for the massive quantities of vile tasting liquid I had to drink, it really wasn't too bad. This was my fourth and I had two polyps removed, but that's par for the course. Now I suppose I'll have to go back in three years, but there are certainly worse things to endure.

Last night I had some friends over for pizza and games and then today I met Allison, Sally, Roy, and Manuel for brunch. This coming week is spring break so I hope to get my taxes and some yard work done. All is right with the world.

Back at Home

The best way to come down from a vacation is to keep the party going. This week we had wine and snacks on Tuesday, dinner on Friday, and dessert with friends last night (special brownies). And in between partying, it was back to the mentoring and tutoring I do each week. On Thursday I met my new mentee at Krause House. Tristan is 13 and loves to talk! As with my last girl, Brianna, Tristan has been in foster care since she was two. So imagine my delight when I met with her by ourselves on Saturday and she spent most of the time singing Christian songs to me. I asked her about God, as I always do, and she said she loves Him and attends Bible study at the facility almost every week. The songs she sang were all uplifting and she explained that they help her when she's depressed. Now I'm no dummy... there's a reason she gets in trouble a lot and there are still many layers of her to peel away, but I was happy that she felt comfortable with me after just one meeting.

We're still working on getting Simon's insulin dosage regulated, but I think we've hit it. The vet started him on the lowest dose and after each week, I have to take him in for the day so they can check his glucose every two hours. He goes back on Tuesday for the third time, but I'm very hopeful that 8 ml. is the right dose. He's not drinking so much water anymore or peeing in the house and his energy level has soared back up. And I think he knows somehow it's the injections because I just call him and he runs over and puts his head down because it goes in the skin behind his head. Our bond has deepened during this ordeal and now that I've spent so much money on him, he better be with me a long damn time!

New York City

What a fabulous trip and the best part is that with all the delicious food we ate, I didn't gain a pound because we walked our asses off. The stairs in the subways were especially challenging at first, since I never walk stairs anymore, but after the second day, I was a pro.

The first day we spent at the 9/11 Memorial and it was worth every minute we spent there. Very somber, but awe-inspiring as well. After that we had nothing but fun... sat in the audience at The Chew (and now I never want to be in a studio audience again... felt like we were just being used), saw A Bronx Tale and The Great Comet with Josh Groban, walked through Central Park, visited several museums, and basked in the perfect weather. It was great seeing Chris and Brenda, but especially exciting to learn that we'll be going to Africa this summer! We also had lunch with one of Kay's cousins one day and dinner with her niece and husband and baby on another. Every single meal was outstanding (as well as the cocktails and wine). I had two super travel buddies and everything was absolutely perfect. I loved every minute, but was happy to come home to rest. The picture to the right is in Bryant Park on one of the prettiest days.

The Week of Simon

Waiting for blood test results. I think I was pretty slow on the uptake as Simon's excessive thirst and peeing has gotten worse and worse. He's been a thirsty little guy ever since I got him four years ago and the increase was so gradual that I just waited till his annual checkup to tell the vet. As I posted on Facebook, I learned he's diabetic and needs insulin injections twice a day. This is something I said I'd never do, but it's not as expensive as I thought and he doesn't even realize I'm doing it. Glory, however, would be a completely different story so I'm thankful it's my little buddy and not her.

My other sad news this week is that Brianna, the girl I mentored at Krause House, left earlier that expected and they didn't tell me until after she was gone. This happened once before and it just breaks my heart because I didn't get to tell them goodbye. I asked her case manager if I could write her a note and she said yes, but there were no guarantees she would get it. And to make matters worse, I quickly got an email from another therapist asking when I could come meet my new mentee! I'm so angry at how all this is handled and just can't jump right back in. But after further thought, I realized that I would only be punishing the girl and not the staff. I've decided to start again, but will also write a letter to the director expressing my concerns about the program.

And if you're still reading (I realize this is long), I had another session tutoring Aladdin yesterday and it wasn't quite as smooth as the first week. But his mother was out of town and his dad told me he was missing her, so that explained a lot. I find that I'm actually having to do a lesson plan each week, but I really don't mind because I do want to help him. Only time will tell.

Next Sunday I'll be in New York with Kay and Jack and plan on blogging, but not promising, as it will be our first day. Can't wait!

Super Bowl Week in Houston

Not much to say about the big game, except that I'm rooting for the Falcons, and will really be happy when it's all over. Our local news has been mainly about the events leading up to today and I'm sick of it!

Remember last week when I said I was going for all my exercise classes again this week? Well, I only made it to yoga one time and nothing else because I strained my back last Sunday night. Nothing serious and I'm back to normal now, but dammit!

My big news of the past week is that I've accepted a brand new challenge and I'm excited about it. I started tutoring a 4th grade boy yesterday who has autism. Before I committed to the mother I spoke with his teacher and learned he is two grade levels behind, stumbles over his math facts, and needs frequent breaks. But she also stated that he's very nice and will try anything asked of him. So I told his mom I'd do it and then researched teaching math to autistic kids. So I headed over with dice, coins and games on the iPad. The family lives within easy walking distance, which is great. His name is Alaeldin (pronounced Ala-eldin) and he was delightful. After 45 minutes I asked him if he was ready to stop, as 45 minutes is usually the max time to hold a younger child's interest. But he said he could go longer and I was thrilled. We did have to stop and chat periodically, but I let him take the lead and it seemed to work pretty well. This kid will definitely keep me on my toes and I'll have to keep studying and find more visual aids to use, but I think it will really be good for me. We'll see...